| The Glory of the Common Life |
Chapter 12 |
Page 3 |
There are men of ambition who harden their hearts against every appeal of human weakness, frailty, or suffering. They pay no heed to the needs that come before their eyes. They never turn away from their strenuous course to help a brother. They run their business on lines of strict justice, perhaps, but justice untempered by love or mercy. They demand always their pound of flesh. They put no kindness into their dealings. They pay small wages and exact the utmost of toil and service. They never turn aside to help a fainting one. They tell you there is no place for sentiment in business. They reach their goal – they become rich and great, but they have crushed the weak under their feet. There are other men who turn aside continually to help the feeble and the fainting, to be a comfort to the weak. They may not get along so well in the competition for power, money, or fame, but no weak brother perishes through their ambition; no sufferer is left unhelped because they have not time to answer his cries. They leave no wreckage of little boats behind them in the water as they move on their course.
There are a great many weak brothers in the world. There are those who are physically weak. Some are lame. Some have feeble health. Some suffer from the infirmities of age. What is the duty of the strong to the weak? Should they hold themselves aloof and refuse to accept any burden, care, interest, or sympathy? A strong man may say, “I cannot take time from my business to do anything for this weak brother.” But is not the strong man strong for the very purpose of helping the brother who is weak? The mountains in their majesty and strength minister to the plains below, to every little valley, to every flower and blade of grass, to every beast and bird. “The Alps were not uplifted merely to be gazed at and admired by pleasure seeking tourists, but to feed the Rhine, and to nourish the teeming cities on its banks.” But God does not give certain men strength and position, fine personality and great influence merely that they may stand up high among their fellows, towering above them, to be admired and honoured. They have their strength and their abilities that they may be a blessing to those who are less highly favoured.
In almost every community there is one who is intellectually weak, a foolish boy or man, or a girl or woman who lacks ability to take her place among her sisters. Sometimes such a person is made the sport of neighbours, of those who are bright and talented, laughed at, even treated rudely, cruelly. It is a pitiable sight to see one who is feeble minded who has not wit enough to take his place among others. It is pathetic to see one buffeted and abused by those to whom God has given good mental abilities. It is beautiful to see a bright, manly boy become the champion and friend of another boy who is almost imbecile, protecting him from the sport of others.
Page 3